Where to stay in Hiroshima: the best areas and hotels

The Peace Memorial Park fills the tip of an island between two rivers, a broad, quiet space of lawns, monuments and the museum, with the A-Bomb Dome standing just across the water. Staying nearby means you can visit early or at dusk, when the school groups have gone and the park is at its most moving. Heiwa-odori, the green boulevard that runs past it, is lined with trees and places to eat.

The ANA Crowne Plaza is five minutes' walk from the park, with English-speaking staff and views across the city. The Knot has a rooftop terrace within ten minutes' walk of the museum, Hotel S Plus is close to both the dome and a tram stop, and Hotel Kuretakesou in Otemachi is a simple, central option. Downtown's shops and restaurants are an easy stroll east.

East of the Peace Park, Hiroshima's downtown is a tight grid of department stores and covered shopping arcades, with the castle and its moat to the north. This is where the city eats: there are whole buildings stacked with okonomiyaki counters, and the entertainment district of Nagarekawa keeps the lights on late.

It is the most convenient base for a couple of nights, with the main tram lines running through the middle. The Rihga Royal is the grandest, with views of both Hiroshima Castle and the Inland Sea. Candeo Hotels Hiroshima Hatchobori has hot-spring baths and a sauna; the Hiroshima Washington is five minutes from Hatchobori tram stop and 15 minutes on foot from the Peace Park; and Hotel Hokke Club sits within the central shopping district.

If you are passing through on a rail pass, the station district saves time. The shinkansen, local trains to Miyajimaguchi and the trams into town all leave from here, and there is good okonomiyaki within the station building. The Sheraton Grand is the smart choice by the station, with an indoor pool and sauna, and the Daiwa Roynet Hiroshima Ekimae is a reliable mid-range pick.

For something different, head down to the bay. The Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima stands on the waterfront about 15 minutes by car from the centre, surrounded by the Setonaikai National Park. Every one of its rooms faces the Seto Inland Sea, and high-speed boats leave for Miyajima from the pier outside.

Miyajima is the island of Itsukushima Shrine, whose vermilion torii gate appears to float on the sea at high tide. Most people come for a few hours from Hiroshima. Stay the night instead and you get the stone lanterns lit along the shore, the tame deer settling down in the lanes and the gate glowing over black water, with barely anyone else around.

This is the place to try a ryokan, with tatami rooms, hot baths and dinner served in many courses. Kinsuikan and Kurayado Iroha are traditional inns on the island; Hotel Kikunoya is three minutes' walk from the shrine; and Miyajima Hotel Makoto has garden views. On the mainland shore opposite, Sekitei is a 12-room spa ryokan where every room has its own private hot tub. The ferry crossing takes about ten minutes.

Onomichi tumbles down a steep hillside to a narrow strait, a likeable old port of temple steps, back lanes and waterfront cafés. It is also the start of the Shimanami Kaido, the 70-kilometre cycling route that hops across six islands of the Seto Inland Sea on a string of spectacular bridges.

Onomichi U2 Hotel Cycle is built into a converted warehouse on the waterfront and designed for riders, with bike hangers on the bedroom walls. The Green Hill Hotel rents bicycles too, and the Onomichi Kokusai serves local cooking. Out on the island of Ikuchijima, part-way along the route, Azumi Setoda is a serene modern take on the ryokan.

Fukuyama is the second city of Hiroshima prefecture and a stop on the shinkansen line, which makes it a handy, crowd-free base in the east of the region. Its castle stands right beside the station, the Rose Park is a short walk away, and Onomichi is close by local train.

The Fukuyama Oriental Hotel is steps from the castle; Hotel AreaOne is five minutes from the art museum; and the Fukuyama New Castle is the big full-service option, with four restaurants. Come for a quiet night between bigger stops, and an early start on the islands.